Golf Course Inspection May 2009

 

The overall condition of the back 9 was good considering the 5 inches of rain within the last few days.  Most turf areas of the golf course need mowed. This issue was relative to the weather and not the maintenance staff.  The greens have recovered quickly from the recent plugging and top dressing, Ken Wolford and staff should be commended. Open items will be reviewed monthly by the Golf Committee with the Golf Superintendent and Golf Professional.  Review of open issues from previous inspections is also included in this report. Overall rating of the back 9 is 4.

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Tees:  Overall rating was 3+.  Turf density is poor as the tees have recently been plugged.

Tees 10, 12, 13 and 14 (Black): The tees have not been cut and there isn’t any delineation between tee and rough. The forward tees are normally cut a fairway length.

Estimated Completion:  8 May 2009

Tee 11 and 16(Red):  Requires a sand container to repair divots.

Estimated Completion: 1 June 2009

Fairway/Rough:  Overall rating was 4.  Even with the length of the grass, both fairway and rough have very good turf density and are in good condition

Holes 10, 12, 15 and 17: The fairways have spots of fungus (Fairy Ring). They are the dark green circles in the fairways.

Estimated Completion: 1 July 2009

Hole 11: The sculpted area of the fairway that leads to the green, 40 yards in front of the green, needs to change so that the fairway points not just to the red tee but all tees. This can be accomplished by widening fairway area by 5 yards.

Estimated Completion:  1 July 2009

Hole 11:  Uneven cutting of the rough left of green results in uneven playing conditions.

Estimated Completion: 1 June 2009

Hole13:  The left side of the fairway needs to be sculpted to follow the contour of the new cart path.

 Estimated Completion: 1 July 2009

Hole 13:  The turf grass to the right of the cart path is very poor. The worst area is located where the old cart path was once located. This area should be marked ground under repair until corrected.

Estimated Completion: 1 June 2009

Hole 13: The junipers near the green were removed but the stumps still need to be removed.

Estimated Completion: 1 July 2009

Hole 13:  Bare area in right rough 160 yards from green.

Estimated Completion: 1 July 2009

Hole 15:  There was a pine tree removed, 50 yards from the black tee, but the stump still needs to be removed.

Estimated Completion: No date set. Once there are addition stumps to be removed we can schedule a contractor. Not cost effective to do one at a time. Issue will stay active until completion.

Hole 15: Cart path damage, four sections, 265 yards from the green.

Estimated Completion: The first cart path area to be repaired will be 90 feet of cart path from Lake Wildwood Drive to 15 tee. This area will address money is available.

Holes 10 - 18: There are numerous bare spots and damaged turf areas adjacent to the carts paths. The majority of the damage was caused from golf carts, maintenance and security vehicles. This will always be a problem with narrow cart paths. That should not prevent having a maintenance program to correct damages.

Estimated Completion:  1 August 2009 Will look at the issue and discuss it with the divot stompers if there could be an addition volunteer group to provide assistance.

Greenside/Fairway Bunkers:  Overall rating was 3.  The overall condition of the bunkers is the lowest of the areas rated. Majority of the traps are in need of basic maintenance. Grass and small plants are growing in the traps and they haven’t been edged.  Now there is no delineation between the trap and the rough.  Basically the golfer has to guess whether they are in the trap or not.

Holes 13, 14, 17: Bunkers require additional sand.

13-Front green side bunker (Right Side)

14-Fairway bunker (1st bunker)

17-Back left green side bunker

Estimated Completion: 1 June 2009

Apron:  Overall rating was 4.  Majority of aprons are uneven. This problem is related to the recent plugging and young rye grass growing from the plug holes. This problem should quickly dissipate. Inspection Committee will monitor progress.

Greens: Overall rating was 4. The greens were very slow and that can be attributed to the wet weather. The greens have recovered quickly from the recent plugging and Ken Wolford and staff should be commended.

Pro Shop/Practice Area: Overall rating was 3

Tees Driving Range: Majority of the green mats need replaced

Estimated Completion: 15 May 2009

Chipping area: The yellow balls are extremely worn and need replaced

Estimated Completion: 15 June 2009

Presently “ground under repair” is marked only for some tournaments rather than on a routine basis.  The pro should look at creating a routine program to correct this condition.  One idea could have the divot stompers, under direction of Jim Knight, mark major ground under repair areas.

Estimated Completion: 1 June 2009

 

Comments:

The maintenance staff needs a larger time window to allow spring plugging of the entire golf course. Maintenance needs a 3 week window to allow plugging of the greens, tees and fairways. Because of conflicting golf tournament schedule the maintenance staff was only able to plug 3 of the 9 fairways. There needs to be a better working partnership between Golf Maintenance and Pro Shop golf scheduling.

Estimated Completion: The Golf Committee should be the arbitrator in finding a solution.

 

 

Open items from previous reports

Holes 11, 12, 15: To improve playability and to conform to the golf master plan recommend removing the following bunkers. Hole 11, remove the right rear bunker; Hole 12, remove fairway bunker on the left side of the fairway and replace with a mounded grass area; Hole 15, remove the fairway bunker on the right side of fairway replacing with a mounded grass area.

Estimated Completion: Golf Committee requested Ken Wolford provide cost to correct. The golf committee then will make a decision. 1 May 2009

Type of bunker sand used.  The players have been asking the inspection team why the sand at LWW is so fine.  We would suggest a test program be implemented where different types of sand are added to separate bunkers and let the golfers decide.

Estimated Completion: Golf Committee requested Ken Wolford provide cost for a test program. The golf committee then will make a decision. 1 May 2009

Practice Area: The reason for the low rating was the synthetic green area above the practice sand trap. This area in compacted with sand and mold. Recommend that Ken Wolford and Jim Knight formulate a plan for correction.

Estimated Completion: Golf Committee requested Ken Wolford provide cost to correct. The golf committee then will make a decision. 1 May 2009

 

Tees:  Turf density is good with the exception of tees 4 

Tee 4 (White):  Turf density was very poor.  This tee has a history of poor condition. There needs to be a permanent fix to a longstanding problem.

Estimated Completion:  PAD is currently being written to modify tee. 1 July 2009

Tee 6 (White): There is a depression in the middle front of the tee adjacent to the white yardage marker.  1 July 2009

Estimated Completion

Hole 1:  The encroachment of the rough into the fairway is affecting playability.  This issue was documented in the May inspection and corrected in August.  Since that time the rough was allowed to expand.

Estimated Completion:  13 April 2009

Hole 2:  Bare area left of cart path near hazard.

Estimated Completion: 1 May 2009

Hole 4:  Numerous bare areas to the left of cart path, starting approximately 100 yards from the tee where the cart path curb ends, and extends 250 ft.

Estimated Completion:  1 May 2009

Hole 5:  Wet area in rough just past the small pine tree on the right approximately 250 yards from the green.  It may be a water line leak.

 Estimated Completion: 1 May 2009

Hole 6:  Wet area in rough near the right green side bunker, between the bunker and cart path. Estimated Completion: 1 July 2009

Hole 6:  Bare/Dead area by fountain.

Estimated Completion: 1 June 2009

Hole 8:  Bare area between the cart path and green.

Estimated Completion:  1 June 2009

Apron:  Majority of aprons are uneven. This area has seen the high and low ratings over the last year.  The apron condition did show a great improvement during the summer months but needs to be addressed again. Estimated Completion: Done, but will be monitored.

Cart path on hole 15 needs repaired. The 90 feet of cart path from Lake Wildwood Drive to the 15 tee needs replaced.

Estimated Completion 15 Sept 2009

 

Green 8. Over the last few years the right side of the green surface area has been considerably reduced and patched with varied types of grasses.  This has led to a smaller and more oval green.  If there is a problem with the right side that can’t be rectified we would recommend expanding the green on the left side and left rear of the green.   The larger green area would provide additional pin placement areas and reduce wear.

Estimated Completion….. 1 July 2009

 

Hole 7 fairway. The black tee points directly to the left rough.

Estimated Completion….. 13 July 2009

 

 

Inspection Team:

Gary Turzak,  Raymond Lamberton-James, Mike Byrne

 

 

 

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